Its fine to bring my children up gluten free

[Ironfistfunkymum]

I've been gf for 6+ years, not alergic or anything but feel so much better for it. People seem generally fine with this.

However now I have children people do seem to judge bringing them up gf. But why would if feed them something that I dont think is very healthy (grains hard to digest) and something that I don't think is very ethical (wheat production is causing more deserts due to its growing conditions).

Aibu to expect people to respect my choice and leave it at that?

I have seen recipes for potato dumplings online - they do seem to have a bit of flour in, but you could leave it out, and see how they were - or use rice flour or similar, maybe?

Thank you that would be amazing

A year ago we had everything sorted and a meal plan for each day but now it's all changed
Used to be things like lasagne (managed ok egg and dairy free! Wheat free much harder!) , chicken or beef casserole and dumplings was a huge favourite but all my attempts so far have not been liked

Wow that must be so difficult. I would just substitute the regular flour for gf flour in the dumplings.
So they like things like curries? They're really good gf wise. Things like soups are good, jacket potatoes etc.
Lovely ice cream can be made using coconut milk too!

Suet has gluten in it (dumplings).

I bought a type of gf suet to make dumplings with a while back. It worked quite well (didn't taste like normal dumplings but was quite nice). Coeliac DS didn't like them though, so haven't bought again.

I have no problem with non-coeliacs avoiding gluten. But I prefer it when (a) they know what gluten is and (b) they say they 'try to avoid it' or 'minimise it'. Because they never, ever go to the lengths that a coeliac needs to.

For example - we just got back from a week staying at a holiday house (self-catering). The first thing I do on arrival is put away all wooden spoons, wooden breadboards, colanders and sieves (all contain traces of gluten even after washing). Then I line all the baking trays with a double layer of silver foil, which I then replace every time I cook to avoid contamination from gluten traces on trays. I used to take my own colander/spoon etc. but now I just manage without, so drain (gf) pasta/veg etc. using the saucepan lid etc. I have to think about every element of what I'm doing to make sure I don't make any mistakes.

We had just one meal out while on holiday. We went to a fish and chip shop that widely advertises it does gf. I'd rung beforehand to check, and then questioned the waitress minutely on arrival. All seemed okay. Unfortunately that night DS had a reaction. Not a major one, so probably just a trace of gluten from contamination somewhere. That's enough to fire up all the damaging antibodies and cause internal damage for the next several weeks. It's not good enough, and I am cross about it, and we will leave it a long time before we try eating out somewhere new again.

It is hard work. I don't mind in the slightest because it is what is required to keep DS healthy, but I do feel irritated when other people claim not to eat gluten if they don't go to the lengths necessary to actually not ingest it.

Potato dumplings here. www.food.com/recipe/gluten-free-potato-kneidlach-non-gebrokts-soup-dumplings-219041

I'd also be tempted by using maize flour - though have only seen recipes that use it mixed with gf ordinary flour.

Yes I have been puzzled too by a friend who said her dcs couldn't have wheat/gluten or egg. She then told me that when they go on holiday they 'want to relax' properly so don't worry about food and the worst that happens is that their dcs get a bit itchy ??!!

Last time dd accidentally ate something with wheat in about six months ago she was in agony, felt nauseous, was crying and screaming and her abdomen swelled so much we nearly took her to a and e. It took two weeks for her to feel completely better and she had to go back on laxatives again for that time too as couldn't go to the toilet. It was horrible to see her in so much pain.
When we go away we have to take so much stuff with us!

That sounds awful :( it takes weeks for your insides to repair, even after the symptoms have gone. When you have a real allergy or intolerance it's a full time thing!